The present invention relates to an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle and, more specifically, to an inflator that provides inflation fluid to inflate an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and maintains the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in an inflated condition for a desired period of time.
It is known to inflate an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to help protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision. One particular type of inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is a side curtain that inflates from the roof of the vehicle downward inside the passenger compartment between a vehicle occupant and the side structure of the vehicle in the event of a side impact or rollover. A known side curtain is inflated from a deflated condition by inflation fluid directed from an inflator to the side curtain through a fill tube.
The present invention comprises an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure. The apparatus includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant. The apparatus includes an inflator for inflating the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and for maintaining the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in an inflated condition for at least five seconds. The inflator contains a stored inflation fluid under pressure. The inflation fluid consists essentially of helium.
The present invention also comprises a stored gas inflator actuatable to inflate an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for an extended period of time. The inflator includes a container means for containing inflation fluid under pressure. The inflation fluid consists essentially of helium. The container means has at least one openable portion for releasing inflation fluid to flow out of the container means. The inflator also includes first output means connected to the container means for directing the inflation fluid into the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The first output means releases the inflation fluid from the inflator at a relatively high rate over a relatively short period of time. The inflator also includes second output means connected to the container means for directing the inflation fluid into the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The second output means releases the inflation fluid from the inflator at a relatively low rate over a relatively long period of time. The relatively long period of time is at least five seconds.